The seventh Humanity in Harmony Music Festival’s signature concert is at 7:30 Saturday October 19 at the MacArthur Recital Hall, at the Flint Institute of Music. It features four acts with an eclectic mix of styles and culture. Opening the program for the seventh time will be; the Dort Honors String Quartet, four very talented high school musicians from the Flint School of the Performing Arts performing a classical piece.

The expanded festival includes two concerts, a master’s class in Jazz performance, $1,150 of journalism scholarships and recognition of a Daniel Pearl World Music Days Journalist in Residence. While there are Daniel Pearl World Music Days events all over the world, the Humanity in Harmony Music Festival is the only one in Michigan.

Daniel Pearl was a journalist; a reporter for the Wall Street Journal who was killed in Pakistan while reporting on the unrest in that part of the world. Daniel Pearl was not only a well-respected reporter; he was also an accomplished violinist! The Pearl family wanted their son to be remembered for what he loved, not how he died, that’s why they created Daniel Pearl World Music Days. The Humanity in Harmony Music Festival focuses on both of Pearl’s loves, Music and Journalism. While there are Daniel Pearl World Music Days events all over the world, the Humanity in Harmony Music Festival is the only one in Michigan.

The October 19 signature concert acts are:

The Meg Okura Jazz Trio

All About Jazz Magazine called Meg Okura, “the queen of chamber jazz.” She is a Grammy nominated violinist and composer who blends East and West in modern jazz. Her Pan Asian Chamber Jazz Ensemble based in New York has been featured at venues from Lincoln Center to the Levitt Pavilion in Los Angeles.

Okura has appeared on dozens of recordings with artists from David Bowie, Lee Konitz and Diane Reeves to Ziggy Marley. She has toured internationally appearing at Carnegie Hall, The Barbican, Madison Square Garden, Village Vanguard, Blue Note Tokyo, Hollywood Bowl and numerous festivals around the world, and now at the Humanity in Harmony Music Festival-Daniel Pearl world Music Days in Flint, Michigan.

Meg will also host a free Master’s Class in the Mott Memorial Building Auditorium at Mott Community College’s main campus in Flint from 4-5:30 on Thursday October 17. The class is open to anyone, no registration necessary.

Then, the Meg Okura Jazz Trio will play a special “Music Around Town Series” concert, Thursday at 7pm at the MacArthur Recital Hall at the Flint Institute of Music. Thanks to the support of the Flint Institute of Music the performance is free. Ms. Okura will meet and greet guests at reception after the show.

Mustard’s Retreat

Mustard’s Retreat has been entertaining friends and fans with their “soothing” harmonies and fun and meaningful songs for decades. Michael Hough and David Tamulevich are well known all over Michigan, up and down the East Coast; anywhere they ever played. They are joined by Libby Glover, who sang with them in the beginning, left for a while and has returned to add even more harmony.

They’ve released 14 albums full of original songs, plus four more albums as part of The Yellow Room Gang, eight award winning singer/songwriters from Southeast Michigan. Mustard’s Retreat are long time favorites in the Flint area playing at venues like Paddy McGee’s, Hat’s Pub, the Flint Folk Music Festival, The Huckleberry Radio Hour, The Sippin Lizard and many more.

We Are the Northern Lights

Jewish rocker, singer and songwriter Sheldon Low will be back for his 7^th appearance at the Humanity in Harmony Music Festival. Whether he is performing with his partner and wife, singer and songwriter Hadar, in the New York based indie pop folk duo We Are The Northern Lights, or performing solo all over the world, this amazing entertainer and educator reaches right into your heart as he is performing.

As part of the memorial to Daniel Pearl, the Humanity in Harmony Music Festival supports over $1,000 in scholarships in journalism given by the Flint Jewish Federation. This year’s scholarship winner will get $500, second place $350; third place $150 with three Honorable Mentions, $50 each.

Students in grades 9 through 12 who are interested in competing for the scholarship will be asked to write an essay on this theme: Whether it’s an international report, or local news, reporters are attacked when those in poser don’t like what they report: Is the truth wort the risk?

To help focus on this question we will welcome, our fifth Daniel Pearl World Music Days Journalist in Residence, Flint native and Emmy Award winning anchor/reporter Dawn Jones, from WJRT abc 12. She will talk to students and local groups about the importance of reporting despite the threats and attacks reporters increasingly face in the performance of their jobs. She will also talk about the importance of local news and reporting.

Tickets are $10 and will be available at the door, and through The Whiting box office. The Meg Okura Jazz Trio Concert, part of the “Music About Town” program at FIM is Thursday October 17 at 7PM at MacArthur Recital Hall. Tickets are available in advance at the Flint Jewish Federation office, 5080 W Bristol Rd Suite 3, Flint, MI 48507. Contact the Jewish Federation (810) 767-5922 or email ashleymusser@flintfed.org for more information.

The Humanity in Harmony Music Festival is sponsored by a generous grant from the Ravitz Family Foundation, the Nartel Foundation and the Flint Jewish Federation.